Tennessee has big rise in handgun permits

New state statistics say the number of Tennesseans licensed to carry a handgun increased by 23 percent over the previous year.
The Commercial Appeal in Memphis reports that 268,711 people were permitted at the start of 2010, compared to last year’s total of 218,004 on Jan. 1, 2009. The numbers come from the state Department of Safety Figures.
The new data indicate that about six percent of Tennessee residents old enough for a handgun-carry permit had one at the start of 2010. The legal age is 21 and older.
Knoxville has the highest concentration of permit-holders among the state’s largest cities. More than 11 percent of its residents eligible for permits are licensed to carry firearms.